Kart

ABSTRACT

A kart having a pedal speed controller and other components and arrangements thereof are disclosed. The kart can be provided with a controller for controlling speed; the pedal speed controller comprising a pedestal and a pedal, one end of the pedal is articulated with the pedestal and keeps a certain angle with the pedestal. The pedal speed controller also comprises a sensor connected with the controller, and the sensor can obtain displacement signal along the tread direction of the pedal. The pedal speed controller has the advantages of realizing pedal control of acceleration or deceleration for drivers, avoiding interference with manual adjustment of kart direction, preventing from mutual influence between speed regulation and steering, improving the speed control performance of the kart, and improving the driving experience.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

Any and all applications for which a foreign or domestic priority claimis identified in the Application Data Sheet as filed with the presentapplication are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of thepresent disclosure.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosure relates to the field of vehicle body technology, inparticular to a kart.

2. Description of the Related Art

A kart, pertaining to a micro racer, is often characterized by a compactappearance and simple structure, and has a wide market appeal. One typeof kart is disclosed in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,675, theentirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.

A kart usually comprises a baseplate or chassis and may include a framearranged on the baseplate; the steering gear of the kart is arranged onthe frame for controlling the driving wheel to steer. Usually, the kartis power driven by a battery, which supplies power for wheel steeringand kart running.

At present, both the frame and the steering gear are arranged at thefront end of the kart, a driver's seat is arranged at the rear endthereof, a battery box is arranged at the rear of the driver's seat, andthe battery is arranged inside the battery box. The running speed ismainly subject to manual control of the driver, for example, a vehiclespeed control panel is arranged on the frame, or a vehicle speed controlbutton is arranged on the steering wheel.

SUMMARY

Presented herein are advantageous features and improvements on the kartof U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,675. For example, it may be desirable to reducethe manufacturing cost or increase the ease of manufacturing whilemaintaining or improving performance. The systems, methods and devicesdescribed herein have innovative aspects, no single one of which isindispensable or solely responsible for their desirable attributes.Without limiting the scope of the claims, some of the advantageousfeatures will now be summarized.

The disclosure involves a kart which can be controlled by a pedal speedcontroller in terms of speed control, thus improving the speed controlperformance.

The disclosure involves a kart and a pedal speed controller. The kart isprovided with a controller for controlling speed. The pedal speedcontroller comprises a pedestal and a pedal. One end of the pedal isarticulated with the pedestal and keeps a certain angle with thepedestal. The pedal speed controller also comprises a sensor connectedwith the controller. The sensor can obtain displacement signal along thetread direction of the pedal.

The pedal speed controller as illustrated below has the advantages ofrealizing pedal control of acceleration or deceleration for drivers,avoiding interference with manual adjustment of kart direction,inhibiting or preventing mutual influence between speed regulation andsteering, improving the speed control performance of the kart, andimproving the driving experience.

In some aspects, a sliding block is arranged between the pedal and thepedestal, the sliding block is connected to the pedal, and the pedestalis provided with a sliding hole. The sliding block slides along thesliding hole when the pedal is depressed. The sensor detects adisplacement signal of the sliding block so as to obtain a displacementsignal along the tread direction of the pedal.

In some aspects, the sensor is arranged on the pedestal, the slidingblock is provided with a magnet strip extending along the heightdirection thereof, and the sensor induces the magnet strip. In someaspects, the pedal speed controller also comprises a microswitch forstarting the kart. In some aspects, the sliding block is provided withan embossment, and the pedal is trodden or depressed so that themicroswitch is touched and started by the embossment when the slidingblock moves down a sufficient (e.g., a preset) distance. In someaspects, the embossment is shaped like a cam.

In some aspects, a spring shield is arranged between the pedestal andthe pedal, and both the sliding block and the sensor are wrapped insidethe spring shield. In some aspects, a torsion spring is arranged betweenthe pedestal and the pedal so as to maintain a certain angle betweenboth the pedestal and the pedal.

The disclosure also involves a kart comprising a baseplate, a framearranged on the baseplate, and a controller for controlling the kart.The kart also comprises the pedal speed controller. The sensor of thepedal speed controller is connected to the controller, and thecontroller can, on the basis of a displacement signal detected by thesensor, control the speed of the kart.

In some aspects, the kart also comprises a battery for providing thekart with power. The frame is arranged at the front end of the kart andis used for installing a front fork steering component of the kart, thefront fork steering component is connected to a driving front wheel ofthe kart, and both the controller and the battery are arranged at theframe.

In some aspects, the front fork steering component is arranged in themiddle of the frame. The battery is arranged on the baseplate andpositioned between the front fork steering component and the rear framebody of the frame. In some aspects, the battery adjoins to the rearframe body of the frame. In some aspects, the controller is installed onthe rear frame body of the frame and positioned above the battery. Insome aspects, the kart also comprises a shell for wrapping or enclosingthe frame and the battery, controller and front fork steering componentare positioned inside the shell.

In some aspects, the kart also comprises a positioning structure forfixing the battery on the baseplate. The positioning structure comprisesa lock piece and the lock piece is used for locking and positioning thebattery on the baseplate. In some aspects, the lock piece comprises atransverse segment locked on the upper surface of the battery, a lateralsegment positioned at the lateral side of the battery, and a transversepermanent seat fixed to the baseplate; the transverse segment providedwith a plughole.

The positioning structure also comprises a lock hook and a nut. Thebaseplate is provided with a hook part, and the lock hook is hooked tothe hook part; one end of the lock hook can be inserted into theplughole and fixed to the transverse segment of the lock piece by thenut.

In some aspects, the baseplate is provided with an installation slot,and the battery is locked by the lock piece inside the installationslot.

In some aspects, the baseplate and/or the frame constitute an all-in-onesheet-metal structure.

In some aspects, both sides of the baseplate are provided respectivelywith an anti-sway pillar or anti-roll column such that a suitable (e.g.,preset) distance is kept from the anti-sway pillar to the ground. Insome aspects, the anti-sway pillar is arranged on the bottom of thebaseplate. In some aspects, the anti-sway pillar is arranged at thefront end of the kart and positioned at the rear of the driving frontwheel, such as rearward of a front edge of the front wheel when thefront wheel is in the straight position. In some aspects, both sides ofthe baseplate are provided respectively with an anti-sway pillar. Insome aspects, the anti-sway pillar is arranged aslant or inclined(relative to vertical direction). In some aspects, the anti-sway pillarhas an angle of inclination ranging from 5 degrees to 15 degrees. Insome aspects, the anti-sway pillar comprises a metal cylinder and awear-proof casing arranged at one end of the metal cylinder, the otherend of the metal cylinder is installed on the baseplate. In someaspects, the metal cylinder is a hollow structure. In some aspects, themetal cylinder is fixed to the baseplate, and/or the wear-proof casingis fixed to the metal cylinder by bolts.

In some aspects, a kart includes a frame; a baseplate supported by theframe; a seat supported by the frame; a front fork rotatably supportedby the frame; a front wheel rotatably supported by the front fork; amotor operably coupled to the front wheel so that it can drive the frontwheel; a controller operably coupled to the motor and configured tocontrol a speed of the kart, the controller comprising a pedestal; apedal, wherein one end of the pedal is articulated with respect to thepedestal and the pedal maintains a certain angle with respect to thepedestal; and a sensor connected to the controller, the sensorconfigured to determine a displacement signal of the pedal; wherein thecontroller controls the speed of the kart based on the displacementsignal detected by the sensor.

In some aspects, the kart further includes a battery configured to powerthe kart, wherein the battery is supported by the baseplate adjacent thefront wheel and forward of the seat, and the controller is supported bythe frame facing a rider on the kart. In other aspects, the front forkis arranged along a longitudinal axis of the frame, and the battery issupported by the baseplate and positioned on the longitudinal axis ofthe frame. In some aspects, the kart further includes a shell configuredto cover a top portion of the frame and enclose at least a portion ofthe battery, the controller, and the front fork. In some aspects, thekart further includes a positioning structure configured to attach thebattery to the baseplate, the positioning structure comprising a lockpiece, a lock hook and a nut, wherein the lock piece comprises atransverse segment configured to attach to an upper surface of thebattery, a lateral segment positioned at a lateral side of the battery,and a transverse permanent seat attached to the baseplate, thetransverse segment including a plughole such that one end of a lock hookcan be inserted into the plughole and fixed to the transverse segment ofthe lock piece by the nut. In some aspects, the baseplate furthercomprises an installation slot and the battery is locked by the lockpiece inside the installation slot. In some aspects, the baseplate orframe supports at least one anti-sway pillar to prevent the kart fromtipping to either side.

In another aspect, a retention device for a kart battery includes abracket comprising a transverse section that can apply a force to asurface of the battery, the bracket further comprising a lateral sectionthat is coupled to the base plate of the kart, wherein the transversesection comprises a socket; a locking hook and a nut, the locking hookcomprising a hook that engages a hook portion on a base plate of thekart, the locking hook further comprising an end that is inserted intothe socket of the bracket and fixed to the transverse section by thenut. In some aspects, the retention device further includes at least onebolt such that the bracket is fixed to the base plate by the boltpassing through the lateral section of the bracket. In some aspects, thenut is a wing nut.

In yet another aspect, a kart includes a base plate and a gantryconnected to the base plate; a front fork steering assembly mounted onthe gantry; and a battery configured to power the kart, the batterymounted on the base plate via a positioning means, wherein thepositioning means comprising a retention device comprising a bracketcomprising a transverse section that can apply a force to a surface ofthe battery; a lateral section that is coupled to the base plate of thekart, wherein the transverse section comprises a socket; a locking hookand a nut, the locking hook comprising a hook that engages a hookportion on a base plate of the kart, the locking hook further comprisingan end that is inserted into the socket of the bracket and fixed to thetransverse section by the nut; and wherein the base plate furthercomprises a hook body bore that receives a portion of the locking hookafter the locking hook is inserted into a shift hole and shifted towardthe hook body bore and wherein the hook portion of the locking hookengages the base plate of the kart between the shift hole and the hookhole and wherein the base plate further comprises a mounting groove suchthat the bracket retains the battery in the mounting groove.

In another aspect, a kart includes a body comprising a floor or baseplate and a gantry located at the front end of the body; a front forksteering assembly supported by the gantry, wherein a front drive wheelis supported by the front fork steering assembly; at least one anti-rollcolumn connected to the base plate and having a lower end spaced aclearance distance from the ground; a motor supported by the front forksteering assembly and configured to drive the front drive wheel; and abattery configured to provide power to the motor, the battery beingpositioned adjacent to and rearward of the front drive wheel. In someaspects, the anti-roll column is attached directly to the base plate. Insome aspects, the anti-roll column is located rearward of a forward edgeof the front drive wheel. In some aspects, each of the left and rightsides of the baseplate comprises an anti-roll column. In some aspects,the anti-roll column is inclined with respect to a vertical direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will becomemore fully apparent from the following description and appended claims,taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding thatthese drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with thedisclosure and are not to be considered limiting of its scope, thedisclosure will be described with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a kart in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pedal speed controller of a kartsuch as the kart shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pedal speed controller shown in FIG.2 with the spring shield removed.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the pedal speed controller of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the kart of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of area A shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the kart in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of area B shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a positioning structure according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a baseplate for a kart according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a frame or gantry structure for a kartaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an underside view of the kart according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the kart according to an embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an anti-sway pillar or anti-roll columnthat may be used with a kart such as the kart illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the kart, components, and arrangements thereof andmethods of assembly and manufacture will now be described with referenceto the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals refer to like orsimilar elements throughout. Although several embodiments, examples andillustrations are disclosed below, it will be understood by those ofordinary skill in the art that the inventions described herein extendsbeyond the specifically disclosed embodiments, examples andillustrations, and can include other uses of the inventions and obviousmodifications and equivalents thereof. The terminology used in thedescription presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in anylimited or restrictive manner simply because it is being used inconjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodimentsof the inventions. In addition, embodiments of the inventions cancomprise several novel features and no single feature is solelyresponsible for its desirable attributes or is essential to practicingthe inventions herein described.

Certain terminology may be used in the following description for thepurpose of reference only, and thus are not intended to be limiting. Forexample, terms such as “above” and “below” refer to directions in thedrawings to which reference is made. Terms such as “front,” “back,”“left,” “right,” “rear,” and “side” describe the orientation and/orlocation of portions of the components or elements within a consistentbut arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to thetext and the associated drawings describing the components or elementsunder discussion. Moreover, terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,”and so on may be used to describe separate components. Such terminologymay include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof,and words of similar import.

OVERVIEW

Turning now to the drawings, drifting karts that are front wheel driveand include rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induceand control drift during a turn in accordance with embodiments of theinvention are illustrated. A caster wheel typically includes a wheelconfigured to rotate around a rotational axis and a fork supporting thewheel, which enables the wheel to swivel around a swivel axis. When thecaster wheels of the drifting kart contact a track surface and thecaster wheels are free to swivel around their swivel axes, the casterwheels are considered “engaged” and the kart can be steered into adrift. The caster wheels can be “disengaged” to steer the kart normallyby either limiting the extent to which the caster wheels can swivel orby shifting the caster wheels so that they do not contact the tracksurface.

In a number of embodiments, a hand lever controls the engagement of thecaster wheels and can be used by a driver to induce and control driftduring a turn. Pulling on the hand lever simulates a hand brake driftingtechnique used to initiate drift in a rear wheel drive automobile with alimited slip differential. In many embodiments, the caster wheels aremounted to a rotatable member and the hand lever rotates the rotatablemember from a first position, where the caster wheels are aligned sothat the weight of the drifting kart and/or the driver limits theability of the caster wheels to swivel about their swivel axes, to asecond position where the caster wheels are aligned so that they arefree to swivel about their swivel axes during motion of the driftingkart.

In several embodiments, the drifting kart includes an additional pair ofrear wheels fixed to an axle and the hand lever is configured to raiseand lower the fixed wheels so that the caster wheels do not engage thetrack in the lowered position, and the caster wheels engage the track inthe raised position.

In many embodiments, a zero camber zero rake fork supports the powertrain. The power train can be a variable speed electric motor thatdelivers power to a drive wheel using a chain and sprocket system orbelt. In several embodiments, the zero camber zero rake fork enables thefront drive wheel to rotate through 360 degrees. In a number ofembodiments, the alignment of the fork that houses the power train isaligned at an angle to vertical that is sufficiently small such that theweight of the drifting kart and the driver does not prevent the full 360degree steering of the drive wheel. In a number of embodiments, full 360degree drift is not desired and the fork can be aligned at a greaterangle to vertical.

The illustrated kart includes changes or improvements relative to thekart of Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,675, the entirety of which isincorporated by reference herein. Thus, the kart is disclosed in thecontext of the differences relative to the kart of the '675 patent.Components or features not disclosed herein, such as the front housingattached to the frame, can be assumed to be the same as or similar tothe corresponding component or feature of the kart of the '675 patent,or can be of another suitable arrangement.

As shown in FIG. 1, the kart 1000 comprises a baseplate 10, a steeringframe 20 arranged on the baseplate 10, and a battery 40 providing apower source for the kart. The baseplate 10 is equivalent to the underpan or chassis of a vehicle. The baseplate 10 may include a chassis 12which is typically constructed from hollow tubing that is sufficientlyflexible to provide suspension and sufficiently rigid to hold togetherduring driving. In some configurations, a majority of the features ofthe kart are installed on the baseplate 10, including the driver's seat60. Some configurations of the kart 1000 may include a pair of siderails 14 attached to the baseplate 10 or the chassis 12. The driving orsteerable front wheel 100 and the rear wheels 200 are correspondinglyarranged at the kart head and the kart tail. The kart 1000 is alsoprovided with a controller 50 which is used for controlling the kart viaprogramming, for example, starting, braking, speeding up and slowingdown etc. The controller 50 is powered by the battery 40.

The frame 20 is arranged at the front end or head of the kart and isattached to the baseplate 10 of the chassis 12. The frame 20 is used tosupport the front fork steering component 30 of the kart. The forksteering component 30 comprises a drive train including a transmissionmechanism and a drive motor 32. In some configurations, the motor 32 isa variable speed DC electric motor that drives the steerable wheel 100using a chain and sprockets. In some configurations, the motor 32 drivesthe steerable wheel 100 using a belt. In some configurations, theelectric motor is a 250 W variable speed electric motor. In otherconfigurations, any of a variety of electric and/or gasoline motors canbe used to power the kart 1000. Although a single steerable wheel 100 isshown, two or more steerable wheels can be included in the drive train.In some configurations, the two or more wheels are aligned to enablesteering through 360 degrees.

The front fork steering component 30 is connected to the steerable wheel100 of the kart so that a driver can control the speed of the kart andsteer via the steering wheel 301. In the figures, the frame 20 isapproximately shaped like an inverted U. The front frame body 20 and therear frame body are approximately shaped like an “A.” In someconfigurations, the baseplate 10 is upturned at the front end thereof,the front end part of the front frame body 202 of the frame 20 is fixedto the upturned part, and the rear end part of the rear frame body 201of the frame 20 is fixed to the baseplate 10. The other end part of thefront frame body 202 is transitionally connected to the other end partof the rear frame body 201 and the steering wheel 301 is arranged at thetransition location that is at the top or flat section of the frontframe body 20.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the kart is shown as resting on apair of rear caster wheels 200. The rear caster wheels are mounted to arotatable member 220 that is mounted to the baseplate 10 using a pair ofbrackets. In the illustrated configuration, the rotatable member is ahollow tube. In other embodiments, the rotatable member can beconstructed from materials appropriate to the application. A hand lever28, which can be referred to as a “whammy bar”, is connected to therotatable member 220. When the hand lever is lowered, the swivel axes ofthe rear caster wheels are aligned at a sufficiently large angle tovertical that the weight of the drifting kart and/or the driver limitsthe ability of the caster wheels to swivel around their swivel axes.Pulling upward on the hand lever 28 rotates the rotatable member 220.The rotation of the rotatable member 220 rotates the caster wheels underthe chassis of the drifting kart and reduces the angles between theswivel axes of the caster wheels and vertical. Reducing the anglesbetween the swivel axes of the caster wheels and vertical (i.e., therake) enables the caster wheels to rotate more freely around the swivelaxis. In this way, the hand lever can be used to engage the casterwheels and induce and control the amount of drift during a turn. Theamount of drift that is allowed is determined by the angle of the casterwheels. Due to the relationship between the rotatable member and thehand lever, the angle of the caster wheels is controlled by the degreeto which the rider lifts the hand lever. In one embodiment, the swivelaxis of the caster wheels can rotate between a rake of 33 degrees and 0degrees to vertical to control the amount of drift that is allowed. Inother embodiments, the extent to which the swivel axis of the casterwheels can rotate relative to vertical is determined by the amount ofdrift desired in the specific application.

The caster wheels used in the construction of drifting karts inaccordance with embodiments of the invention are typically constructedfrom high performance casters that include polyurethane wheels mountedto the caster fork via at least one bearing press fitted to the wheel.In one embodiment, the wheels have a 68 mm radius and the bearings areBSB ABEC 7 bearings. Although other casters appropriate to theapplication can also be used.

A seat 60 for the driver is also mounted to the chassis. The seat istypically positioned so that the driver is readily able to rotate thesteering wheel and pull upward on the hand lever from a comfortabledriving position. For stability, the seat is typically fixed to thechassis as low to the ground as possible. The higher the seat thegreater the likelihood that shifting weight will cause the drifting kartto roll during cornering. In a number of embodiments, the seat 60 islocated behind the battery housing 40.

Controller

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, various views of the pedal speed controller90 are shown. FIG. 2 is a view of the pedal speed controller 90 inFIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view of the pedal speed controller 90 in FIG. 2whose spring shield is removed. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the pedalspeed controller illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the uppersurface of the pedestal 901 in illustrated in FIG. 3 is omitted tobetter illustrate the sensor 908, the microswitch 907, the embossment904 b, and the underpart of the magnet strip 904 a. In someconfigurations, the pedestal 901 is provided with a downward-lookinginstallation slot. The sensor 908 and the microswitch 907 are installedfrom the underside of the pedestal 901, which is then fixed to thebaseplate 10 of the kart. This shelters the sensor 908, and microswitch907 from exposure, and allows a convenient way to install the springshield 903.

As illustrated, the kart 1000 also includes a pedal speed controller 90arranged on the baseplate 10. The pedal speed controller 90 comprises apedestal 901 and a pedal 902. One end of the pedal 902 is articulatedwith respect to the pedestal 901 and the pedal 902 maintains a certainangle with respect to the pedestal 901 in the absence of external forceapplied to the pedal. As shown in FIG. 2, the pedal 902 rotates withrespect to the pedestal 901 about the shaft 906 and maintains aspecified angle via a reset or biasing mechanism. The reset mechanismillustrated in FIG. 2 is a torsion spring 905. The pedal 902 can rotateabout the shaft 906 and also maintain a preset angle with the pedestal901 due to the force of the torsion spring 905. The torsion spring 905is simple in structure and convenient for installation. In otherconfigurations, other reset mechanisms can be used to maintain the anglethe pedal 902 makes with the pedestal 901 when the pedal 902 is notdepressed. In some configurations, the distance between the pedestal 901and the pedal 902 can be shortened after the driver steps on the pedal902 and the pedal 902 can be restored to the initial state via thetorsion spring 905 (that is, the preset angle) after the driver releasesthe pedal 902.

The pedal speed controller 90 also comprises a sensor 908 connected tothe controller 50. The sensor 908 can detect a signal (namely, adisplacement signal) indicating how much the pedal 902 is pusheddownwards. For example, detection of displacement of the pedal 902 alongthe tread direction can be measured by the sensor 908. Initially, thepedal 902 is at an initial position when no external force, such as thedriver's foot, is applied. The pedal 902 starts to rotate around theshaft 906 as the driver applies a force to the pedal 902, thusdisplacing the pedal 902 from the initial position. The sensor 908detects the displacement of the pedal 902 and sends the displacementsignal to the controller 50 of the kart. The controller 50 can, on thebasis of the displacement signal received from the sensor 908, controlthe speed of the kart 1000.

The relationship between the displacement signal indicating the travelof the pedal 902 and the desired speed of the kart can be pre-stored inthe controller 50. Upon receiving the displacement signal, thecontroller 50 controls the motor 32 to rotate according to correspondingspeed so as to drive the steerable wheel 100 to run at the prospectivespeed. The relationship between the speed and displacement of the pedal902 can be directly proportional, namely the greater the displacement,the greater the prospective speed. In this way, the driver can increasefoot pressure on the pedal 902 (resulting in greater displacement of thepedal 902) to speed up the kart and decrease foot pressure to slow downthe kart, thus conveniently controlling acceleration and deceleration ofthe kart.

Some advantages of the pedal speed controller 90 include pedal controlof acceleration or deceleration, avoiding interference with manualadjustment of kart direction, preventing mutual influence between speedregulation and steering, improving the operational performance of thekart, and improving the driving experience.

A sliding block 904 can be arranged between the pedal 902 and thepedestal 901. The sliding block 904 is connected to the pedal 902, asshown in FIG. 4, via a first bolt 909 a. Correspondingly, the pedestal901 is provided with a sliding block aperture 901 a. As shown in FIG. 3,the sliding block 904 slides along the sliding block aperture 901 a whenthe driver steps on the pedal 902 and the sensor 908 can obtain thedisplacement of the pedal 902 by detecting the displacement of thesliding block 904. In addition, the sliding block 904 ensures thestructure of the pedal speed controller 90 is more reliable. A springcan be arranged between the sliding block 904 and the bottom of thepedestal 901 and the sliding block aperture 901 a so as to furtherincrease stability and improve tread comfort for drivers, thusfacilitating control of vehicle speed.

Furthermore, the sensor 908 can be arranged on the pedestal 901, asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The sliding block 904 is provided with amagnetic strip 904 a extending along the height of the sliding block 904and the sensor 908 induces the magnetic strip 904 a. The magnet strip904 a moves together with the sliding block 904 when the pedal 902 isdepressed, thus generating displacement relative to the sensor 908. Thesensor 908 detects the displacement and sends the displacement signal tothe controller 50 to regulate the speed of the kart. In someconfigurations, the sensor 908 can be a Hall sensor with high detectionaccuracy for accurate speed regulation.

The pedal speed controller 90 also comprises a switch, such as amicroswitch 907, for starting the kart. Thus, the pedal speed controller90 can not only control the kart speed but also start or stop the kart.The microswitch 907 can be turned on or off in various ways. In someconfigurations, the driver can directly step on the microswitch 907which placed in an accessible position. Depression of the microswitch907 preferably does not require stepping on the pedal 902 foracceleration so as to prevent the speed control from interference. Aswitch mount 907 a is configured for stable installation of themicroswitch 907, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In some configurations, theswitch mount 907 a is fixed to the pedestal 901 by a second bolt 909 bthough the switch mount 907 a may be fixed to the pedestal 901 by anymechanical means.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the sliding block 904 is provided with anembossment 904 b. The microswitch 907 is arranged on the pedestal 901such that when the pedal 902 is depressed and the sliding block 904moves down a preset distance, the microswitch 907 is touched and startedby the embossment 904 b to start the kart. When the pedal 902 isreleased, the embossment 904 b moves upward relative to the microswitch907 and again touches the microswitch 907 to stop the kart.

The embossment 904 b can be designed and shaped like a cam, and thecurve contour of the cam 904 b allows the embossment 904 b to stablytouch and withdraw from the microswitch 907.

In some configurations, a spring shield 903 can be arranged between thepedestal 901 and the pedal 902. Both the sliding block 904 and thesensor 908 are preferably wrapped inside the spring shield 903. As shownin FIG. 2, the spring shield 903 can protect the sliding block 904 andother components inside. For example, the microswitch 907 can also bearranged inside the spring shield 903 for protection.

Both the controller 50 and the battery 40 of the kart 1000 are mountedadjacent to the front end of the kart. For example, the controller 50and/or the battery 40 can be positioned within a space bounded by theframe 20 and the baseplate 10. In addition, the front fork steeringcomponent 30 of the kart is supported by the frame 20. Both thecontroller 50 and the front fork steering component 30 receive powerfrom the battery 40 and thus the power circuits and control circuits arearranged at the front end of the kart to simplify wiring design andreduce potential line faults.

Moreover, the front fork steering component 30 can be supported by themiddle or central, flat portion of the frame 20 to improve stability.The battery 40 can be attached to the baseplate 10 and positionedbetween the front fork steering component 30 and the frame body 201, 202of the portal frame 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery 40, having arelatively larger volume, can be located below the frame 20 for a morecompact arrangement. In some configurations, the battery 40 may beattached to the frame body of the frame 20. Due to the volume and weightof the battery 40, it may be preferable to secure the battery 40 on thebaseplate 10.

In the illustrated arrangement, the battery 40 connects the frame bodyof the frame 20 which comprises a front frame body 201 and a rear framebody 202. As shown in FIG. 5, the baseplate 10 below the frame 20 isprovided with an opening for insertion of the front fork steeringcomponent 30 to allow the steering component 30 to connect with thedriving front wheel 100. In addition, in consideration of the locationof the driving front wheel 100, preferably the battery 40 is arrangedadjacent to the rear frame body 202 of the frame 20.

The controller 50 can be installed on the rear frame body 202 of theframe 20 and positioned above the battery 40. As shown in FIG. 1, thecontroller 50 is small in size and light in weight and can be directlyinstalled on the frame 20, allowing for a compact arrangement. Thewiring design is simpler and the wires are shorter if the controller 50is arranged above the battery 40 as shown. In addition, when thecontroller 50 is installed on the frame 20 and positioned above thebattery 40 adjacent to the rear frame body 202, wires can be laid alongthe rear frame body 202. In this way; the wiring arrangement is morereliable and more convenient.

In some configurations, a shell can be attached to the frame 20 suchthat the controller 50, the front fork steering component 30, and thebattery 40 are positioned inside the shell. The shell can provide bothan aesthetic and a protective effect.

With reference to FIGS. 6-10, the kart 1000 further comprises apositioning structure 70 for fixing the battery 40 on the baseplate 10.The positioning structure 70 comprises a lock piece 701 used for lockingand positioning the battery 40 on the baseplate 10.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the lock piece 701 comprises a transversesegment 701 a connected to the upper surface of the battery 40, alateral segment 701 b positioned along the side of the battery 40, and atransverse permanent seat segment 701 c fixed to the baseplate 10. Thelock piece 701 has at least a portion that is approximately shaped likea “Z”. The transverse segment 701 a is provided with a plughole 701 d.

The positioning structure 70 also comprises a lock hook 702. Thebaseplate 10 is provided with a hook part, and the lock hook 702 ishooked to the hook part. The transverse segment 701 a of the lock piece701 is slightly longer than the battery 40. One end of the lock hook 702can be inserted into the plughole 701 d on the end of the transversesegment 701 a. After one end of the lock hook 702 is inserted into theplughole 701 d, the lock hook 702 is fixed to the lock piece 701 by anymechanical means, including a matching screw and nut pair 703. In someconfigurations, the nut 703 can be a butterfly nut.

The transverse permanent seat portion 701 c is fixed to the baseplate 10by screws as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The positioning structure 70 alsocomprises a screw bolt 704. A through hole passes through the baseplate10 and the transverse permanent seat 701 c correspondingly such that thescrew bolt 704 passes through the through hole to attach the baseplate10 and the transverse permanent seat 701 c. In some configurations, thetransverse permanent seat 701 c can be attached to the baseplate 10 byother means, for example, clamping fixation.

The baseplate 10, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, is provided with aninsertion hole 102 and a hook hole 103. The hook part of the lock hook702 can be wholly inserted into the insertion hole 102. After the hookpart of the lock hook 702 is inserted into the insertion hole 102 andpositioned below the baseplate 10, the lock hook 702 can be adjusteduntil the hook of the lock hook 702 is aligned with the hook hole 103and hooked to the baseplate 10.

In some configurations, other hook modes can also be used. For example,a lug boss can be directly attached to the baseplate 10, serving as thehook part. The lug boss may include a through hole for hooking onto thebaseplate 10 or two holes matched with the lock hook 702 may be formedthrough the baseplate 10 such that the lock hook 702 threads through theholes from bottom to top to secure the lock hook 702 and battery 40 tothe baseplate 10. The illustrated hook mode is the more preferablemethod of attachment due to manufacturing simplicity and convenientassembly and disassembly.

As shown in FIG. 10, the baseplate 10 also includes an installationtrough, depression or slot 101 and the battery 40 is held in place bythe lock piece 701 inside the installation trough 101. After being fixedinto place, the battery 40 is limited in terms of up-and-down movement.The left-and-right movement of the battery 40 is limited by thedimensions of the installation slot 101. Therefore, the battery 40 canbe stably and reliably fixed to the baseplate 10. Placement of thebattery 40 within the installation slot 101 reduces the possibility ofmovement of battery 40 more so than attaching the battery 40 to thebaseplate 10 with only the lock piece 701.

To install the battery 40 on the kart 1000, the battery 40 is firstplaced into the installation slot. The lock piece 701 is placed aroundthe battery 40, and the transverse permanent seat 701 c of the lockpiece 701 is fixed to the baseplate 10. Next, the lock hook 702 isinserted into the insertion hole 102 and shifted until the hook isaligned with the hook hole 103. The lock hook 702 is lifted upward andlocked, hooking to the baseplate 10. Simultaneously, the other end ofthe lock hook 702 is inserted into the plughole 701 d of the transversesegment 701 a of the lock piece 701. To securely attach the lock hook702 and the lock piece 701, the, the butterfly nut 703 is securelyfastened. Disassembly of the battery 40 from the baseplate 10 is areversal of the above process.

In addition to using the lock piece 701 as the positioning structure 70of the battery 40, the battery 40 can also be installed and fixed to thebaseplate 10 in other ways. For example, the battery box can be directlywelded to the baseplate 10, or a housing may be used to secure thebattery 40. Use of the lock piece 701 for securing the battery 40 to thebaseplate 10 allows the battery 40 to dissipate heat. Additionally, useof the lock piece 701 with the lock hook 702 allows the lock piece 701to be adjustable depending on the size of the battery and the amount offorce needed secure the battery to the kart.

The baseplate 10 of the kart 1000 and/or the frame 20 can be made of aone-piece sheet-metal structure. The one-piece sheet-metal structureprovides advantages such as good overall performance and high strengthand rigidity.,

With reference to FIG. 12, illustrating an underside perspective view ofthe kart 1000, both sides of the baseplate 10 can be providedrespectively with an anti-sway pillar or anti-roll column 80. Theanti-sway pillars 80 are configured such that they do not impact theground when the kart is in normal operation. In other words, when thekart 1000 is horizontal and supported by the driving front wheel 1000and the rear wheels 200, the anti-sway pillars 80 extend from thebaseplate 10 to a point above the ground, not influencing normal runningof the driving front wheel 100 and the rear wheels 200 of the kart 1000.When the kart inclines to a certain angle side to side, one of theanti-sway pillars 80 touches the ground so as to prevent the kart fromfurther inclination and possible toppling. The anti-sway effect isparticularly advantageous for vehicles provided with only one drivingfront wheel 100. The selected distance from the anti-sway pillar 80 tothe ground is designed on the basis of a desired anti-sway angle. Theanti-sway pillars 80 can be connected to the bottom of the baseplate 10,so as to not influence the overall appearance of the kart.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the anti-sway pillars 80 can be arranged atthe front end of the kart 1000. The front end of the kart is prone totipping if the kart inclines during running. Therefore, to prevent thekart from tipping over, the anti-sway pillars 80 are preferably locatedat the front end of the kart. In addition, the anti-sway pillars 80 alsocan be arranged at a certain distance behind at least a portion of thedriving front wheel 100 (e.g. a front edge of the wheel 100), not onlyinhibiting, limiting or preventing rollover, but also effectivelyinhibiting, limiting or preventing the kart from tipping forward.

With reference to FIG. 13, which is a front view of the kart 1000, it ispreferable that both sides of the baseplate 10 are provided with ananti-sway pillar 80. As shown in FIG. 4, both anti-sway pillars 80 arearranged symmetrically, to provide better roll-over protection and alsocontrol the production cost. Other configurations may include more thantwo anti-sway pillars 80.

In the above-mentioned configurations, the anti-sway pillars 80 areconnected to the baseplate 10 at an angle relative to the verticaldirection. As shown in FIG. 13, each of the anti-sway pillars 80 ismounted at an angle “a” with respect to the vertical direction. When thekart tilts laterally, the anti-sway pillar 80 on the side of the kartthat is tilted downward touches the ground. The reactive force from theground applies a component force opposite to the overturning direction,and the component force is enlarged due to inclining arrangement, thusproviding more effective roll-over protection.

As mentioned above, the anti-sway pillars 80 each have a certain heightaccording to the desired amount of roll-over protection, inhibition orlimitation. The angle of inclination (the angle “a” relative to thevertical direction) of the anti-sway pillars 80 can be between about 5degrees-15 degrees, in some configurations, providing an anti-sway ortipping effect.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of the anti-sway pillar 80. The anti-sway pillar 80comprises a metal cylinder 801 and a wear-proof casing 802 located atone end of the metal cylinder 801. The other end of the metal cylinder801 is attached to the baseplate 10, with the wear-proof casing 802facing towards the ground. In order to inhibit, limit, or prevent thekart 1000 from rollover, the anti-sway pillar 80 may be subject to alarge bearing force. The metal cylinder 801 is preferably strong enoughto withstand the bearing force. Moreover, when the anti-sway pillar 80touches the ground to provide roll-over protection, the wear-proofcasing 802 can prolong the service life of the anti-sway pillar 80.

The wear-proof casing 802 can be detachably installed on the metalcylinder 801. For example, in some configurations, the wear-proof casing802 can be attached to the metal cylinder 801 via a threaded connectionor may be press fit to the metal cylinder 801. In some configurations,as shown in FIG. 14, the wear-proof casing 802 is attached to the metalcylinder 801 by one or more fasteners (e.g., bolts or screws 803). Thus,the wear-proof casing 802 can be easily replaced if it becomes worn withno need to replace the entire metal cylinder 801, thereby reducingmaintenance costs and facilitating maintenance.

Furthermore, the metal cylinder 801 of the anti-sway pillar 80 can be ahollow structure. The metal cylinder 801 having a hollow structure hasthe advantages of reducing cost and improving buffering.

The anti-sway pillar 80 can be directly thread screwed into the bottomof the baseplate 10 or fixed to the bottom of the baseplate 10 with abolt. As shown in FIG. 12., the anti-sway pillar 80 may be provided witha mounting base 805 which is fixed to the bottom of the baseplate 10with a bolt or a plurality of bolts. In some configurations, the metalcylinder 801 of the anti-sway pillar 80 can also be welded to the bottomof the baseplate 10.

CONCLUSION

It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications may bemade to the herein-described embodiments, the elements of which are tobe understood as being among other acceptable examples. All suchmodifications and variations are intended to be included herein withinthe scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.Moreover, any of the steps described herein can be performedsimultaneously or in an order different from the steps as orderedherein. Moreover, as should be apparent, the features and attributes ofthe specific embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in differentways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scopeof the present disclosure.

Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “could,”“might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically statedotherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, isgenerally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, whileother embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/orstates. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended toimply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required forone or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarilyinclude logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting,whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to beperformed in any particular embodiment.

Moreover, the following terminology may have been used herein. Thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to anitem includes reference to one or more items. The term “ones” refers toone, two, or more, and generally applies to the selection of some or allof a quantity. The term “plurality” refers to two or more of an item.The term “about” or “approximately” means that quantities, dimensions,sizes, formulations, parameters, shapes and other characteristics neednot be exact, but may be approximated and/or larger or smaller, asdesired, reflecting acceptable tolerances, conversion factors, roundingoff, measurement error and the like and other factors known to those ofskill in the art. The term “substantially” means that the recitedcharacteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, butthat deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances,measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factorsknown to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do notpreclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide.

Numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format.It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely forconvenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly toinclude not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limitsof the range, but also interpreted to include all of the individualnumerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if eachnumerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration,a numerical range of “about 1 to 5” should be interpreted to include notonly the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but shouldalso be interpreted to also include individual values and sub-rangeswithin the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range areindividual values such as 2, 3 and 4 and sub-ranges such as “about 1 toabout 3,” “about 2 to about 4” and “about 3 to about 5,” “1 to 3,” “2 to4,” “3 to 5,” etc. This same principle applies to ranges reciting onlyone numerical value (e.g., “greater than about 1”) and should applyregardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics beingdescribed. A plurality of items may be presented in a common list forconvenience. However, these lists should be construed as though eachmember of the list is individually identified as a separate and uniquemember. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as ade facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based ontheir presentation in a common group without indications to thecontrary. Furthermore, where the terms “and” and “or” are used inconjunction with a list of items, they are to be interpreted broadly, inthat any one or more of the listed items may be used alone or incombination with other listed items. The term “alternatively” refers toselection of one of two or more alternatives, and is not intended tolimit the selection to only those listed alternatives or to only one ofthe listed alternatives at a time, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise.

What is claimed is:
 1. A kart, comprising: a frame; a baseplatesupported by the frame; a seat supported by the frame; a front forkrotatably supported by the frame; a front wheel rotatably supported bythe front fork; a motor operably coupled to the front wheel so that itcan drive the front wheel; a controller operably coupled to the motorand configured to control a speed of the kart, the controllercomprising: a pedestal; a pedal, wherein one end of the pedal isarticulated with respect to the pedestal and the pedal maintains acertain angle with respect to the pedestal; and a sensor connected tothe controller, the sensor configured to determine a displacement signalof the pedal; wherein the controller controls the speed of the kartbased on the displacement signal detected by the sensor.
 2. The kart ofclaim 1, further comprising a battery configured to power the kart,wherein the battery is supported by the baseplate adjacent the frontwheel and forward of the seat, and the controller is supported by theframe facing a rider on the kart.
 3. The kart of claim 2, wherein thefront fork is arranged along a longitudinal axis of the frame, and thebattery is supported by the baseplate and positioned on the longitudinalaxis of the frame.
 4. The kart of claim 3, further comprising a shellconfigured to cover a top portion of the frame and enclose at least aportion of the battery, the controller, and the front fork.
 5. The kartof claim 2, further comprising a positioning structure configured toattach the battery to the baseplate, the positioning structurecomprising a lock piece, a lock hook and a nut, wherein the lock piececomprises a transverse segment configured to attach to an upper surfaceof the battery, a lateral segment positioned at a lateral side of thebattery, and a transverse permanent seat attached to the baseplate, thetransverse segment including a plughole such that one end of a lock hookcan be inserted into the plughole and fixed to the transverse segment ofthe lock piece by the nut.
 6. The kart of claim 5, wherein the baseplatefurther comprises an installation slot and the battery is locked by thelock piece inside the installation slot.
 7. The kart of claim 1, whereinthe baseplate or frame supports at least one anti-sway pillar to preventthe kart from tipping to either side.
 8. A retention device for a kartbattery, comprising: a bracket comprising a transverse section that canapply a force to a surface of the battery, the bracket furthercomprising a lateral section that is coupled to the base plate of thekart, wherein the transverse section comprises a socket; a locking hookand a nut, the locking hook comprising a hook that engages a hookportion on a base plate of the kart, the locking hook further comprisingan end that is inserted into the socket of the bracket and fixed to thetransverse section by the nut.
 9. The retention device of claim 8,further comprising at least one bolt such that the bracket is fixed tothe base plate by the bolt passing through the lateral section of thebracket.
 10. The retention device of claim 9, wherein the nut is a wingnut.
 11. A kart comprising: a base plate and a gantry connected to thebase plate; a front fork steering assembly mounted on the gantry; and abattery configured to power the kart, the battery mounted on the baseplate via a positioning means, wherein the positioning means comprises aretention device comprising a bracket comprising: a transverse sectionthat can apply a force to a surface of the battery; a lateral sectionthat is coupled to the base plate of the kart, wherein the transversesection comprises a socket; a locking hook and a nut, the locking hookcomprising a hook that engages a hook portion on a base plate of thekart, the locking hook further comprising an end that is inserted intothe socket of the bracket and fixed to the transverse section by thenut; and wherein the base plate further comprises a hook body bore thatreceives a portion of the locking hook after the locking hook isinserted into a shift hole and shifted toward the hook body bore andwherein the hook portion of the locking hook engages the base plate ofthe kart between the shift hole and the hook hole and wherein the baseplate further comprises a mounting groove such that the bracket retainsthe battery in the mounting groove.
 12. A kart comprising: a bodycomprising a floor or base plate and a gantry located at the front endof the body; a front fork steering assembly supported by the gantry,wherein a front drive wheel is supported by the front fork steeringassembly; at least one anti-roll column connected to the base plate andhaving a lower end spaced a clearance distance from the ground; a motorsupported by the front fork steering assembly and configured to drivethe front drive wheel; and a battery configured to provide power to themotor, the battery being positioned adjacent to and rearward of thefront drive wheel.
 13. The kart as claimed in claim 12, wherein theanti-roll column is attached directly to the base plate.
 14. The kart asclaimed in claim 12, wherein the anti-roll column is located rearward ofa forward edge of the front drive wheel.
 15. The kart as claimed inclaim 12, wherein each of the left and right sides of the base platecomprises an anti-roll column.
 16. The kart as claimed in claim 12,wherein the anti-roll column is inclined with respect to a verticaldirection.